Innovative head injury software benefits rugby sevens teams in Rio

The CSx technology simplifies and standardises the process of recording and assessing head impacts as World Rugby remains committed to collaborating with leading concussion experts across concussion education, prevention, management and research strategies.

Rugby made a spectacular and successful return to sport’s biggest stage with 24 teams (12 women’s and 12 men’s) showcasing the very best of the sport, including its commitment to the highest standards of player welfare.

Central to that commitment is World Rugby’s investment in evidence-based strategies in concussion prevention, education, management and research. In Rio, the CSx head injury assessment software and app was employed to standardise and simplify the recording and management of head injuries, assisting team and independent medics in the fast-paced sevens environment.

The software was also successfully employed as part of the comprehensive Rugby World Cup 2015 player welfare standards programme and has been rolled-out to international teams and tournaments accredited by World Rugby for use in test match environments.

The benefits to team and independent medics in Rio included:

• Real-time data for team doctors pitch-side and in the medical rooms, with player baseline data available for comparison
• Simplified compliance with World Rugby’s three-point-in-time concussion diagnostic system that incorporates a standardised follow-up process – immediate, shortly after the game and 36-48 hours after the incident
• Centralised data collection for research purposes

With concussion a priority welfare area for sport, the software allows users to administer head injury assessments (HIAs) in a standardised fashion online, comparing the data to the player’s individual baseline data.

Specifically in the sevens environment, the software ensured that independent doctors and team doctors all had up-to-date information about every player, optimising concussion diagnosis and management during the tournament.

World Rugby Chief Medical Officer Dr Martin Raftery said: “World Rugby is committed to the highest possible standards of player welfare for players at all levels and the CSx software played an important role in protecting our top men’s and women’s sevens athletes in Rio as its functionality supported team and independent doctors in the management of head injuries, while reducing the administrative load.”

(Source: World Rugby Press Release)